The rent is not a priority issue in the discussion of the conditions of Russian military bases presence in Kyrgyzstan, head of Foreign Affairs Department of Presidential Apparatus of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov said on Thursday, KyrTAG reported.
"The process of discussing of the draft agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia on the conditions of placement, status and conditions of the joint Russian military base stay in Kyrgyzstan is being held. The question of the amount of rent is not a priority" Isakov said.
Presidential Apparatus stressed that the statement is made in connection with a controversial interpretation of Kyrgyz Defense Minister Taalaibek Omuraliev's interview on July 11, 2012 by the Russian media.
"The term of the agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia on the status and conditions of the Russian air base stay in the territory of Kyrgyzstan on September 22, 2003 is valid until 2020. In addition, the agreements between the Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation on the use of Russian military facilities in Kyrgyzstan and the status of the armed forces on July 5, 1993 are automatically extended in accordance with the terms of the Agreement until 2017," said in a statement.
It is emphasized that "Russia is a major strategic partner of Kyrgyzstan." Our country will continue to faithfully fulfill all its obligations, " Isakov concludes.
The Minister of Defense of Kyrgyzstan Taalaibek Omuraliev said Kyrgyzstan intends to increase the rent for the Russian military bases in an interview with Russian media in Cholpon-Ata on Wednesday.
"We will ask Russia to increase the rental price due to inflation since 2014, when the rent term of these bases expires. It doesn't include the airbase Kant," RIA Novosti quoted the minister.
"Kyrgyzstan is paying itself for utilities of Kant airbase, and an annual fee amounted to more than 300 million soum a year," Omuraliev added.
The Minister stressed that the talks with Russia is also conducted for an extension of the use of bases, but they have not been determined yet. "The presence of Russian bases in Kyrgyzstan is beneficial to both countries, it is a security measure, not a question of price, so we will find a mutually beneficial solution," the Minister of Defence concluded.
Four Russian military facilities are now deployed in Kyrgyzstan: an air base in Kant, the base of underwater weapons testing in Karakol, the center of military communications in the Kara-Balta, radio-seismic laboratory in Maily-Suu.